The Department of the Interior
Big Bad Beast *The Department of the Interior (DoI) has been the arch-villian of the Liaden Universe since the first book -- Agent of Change -- was published about thirty years ago. *It's a covert group of fascists based in Liad. A seven-headed-hydra, difficult to eradicate.Ghost Ship *A vast, secret organization dedicated to the ascendancy of Liad, but to the destruction of the clan-based, Delm-led system of authorityCarpe Diem, Trealla Fantrol (Access Grid 703) *They view Terrans as things, using the pronoun it rather than he or she.Carpe Diem *At least one member of the Liaden Council of Clans supports the DoI.I Dare *The Department, and some Council members, hate [[The Scouts]] because they embrace outsiders. They attacked Scout HQ at Nev'Lorn (see [[Breath's Duty]]). *The DoI and some Council members hate [[Clan Korval]] because some have married Terrans. Access Grid 703 The Department of Interior's Mission Statement: "Allegiance to a single clan is addiction to an outdated and life-threatening philosophy...Terra seeks to overpower and annihilate us....Several clans have allowed Liaden blood to become diluted and have granted these half-breeds full rights...It is the part of the intelligent person to forswear allegiance to clan, and instead to ally himself with Liad, through this department. It is the prime objective of this department to establish the supremacy of Liad and true Liadens."Carpe Diem, Trealla Fantrol (Access Grid 703) Agents of Change *The DoI steals people from [[The Scouts]] and from the healer's hall (dramliz wizards) and twists them into mindless "agents of change" through a process that involves wires in the headGhost Ship *They become spies, assassins, and political manipulators *The Department's best agents -- including Scout Commander [[Val Con yos'Phelium]] -- are wired with a probability loop in the head.Agent of Change, Carpe Diem *The DoI also steals clanless pilots from The Low Port in Liad, forcing them into agents, technicians, etc.(supposition, based on text)Mouse & Dragon, chapter 33 *The DoI equips their agents with scout-class ships, credit cards, pins,wires, poisons, little pillows of acid, etc.Agent of Change, chapter 18 Korval versus DoI Some of this is supposition, based on text, because the Department stays in the shadows *In their milant'i as captain of the passengers, set up by [[Cantra yos'Phelium]] a millenia ago, [[Clan Korval]] protects LiadensMouse & Dragon **When lone pilots started disappearing from Low Port in Liad, Delm Korval [[Chi yos'Phelium]] sent her son [[Daav yos'Phelium]] to investigate, with help from [[Juntavas]] boss Clarence O'Berin. For some years afterwards, it seemed that the kidnapping had stopped, even though they never found the villain. *Eventually, the problem in the Low Port started up again, and drifted up to the Mid Port *Daav investigated Low Port again, but to no avail, nearly dying in the course of the investigation, as he "had a bounty on his head"Mouse & Dragon, chapter 34 **Supposition that the DoI was responsible, stipulating that the DoI is the "Someone else who is trying to set themselves up as boss" of the Low Port *Time passed. The next we heard of the department was when they highjacked [[Val Con yos'Phelium]], about 25 years later. By then, the organization had multiplied.Agent of Change *[[Clan Korval]] attacked the Department's secret headquarters on Liad, with help from [[The Scouts]], the [[Clutch Turtles]], the [[Juntavas]], and the Terran merc unit Higdon's Howlers. **But some Scouts disagreed with Korval. It caused a schism in [[The Scouts]]. **Some council members opined there was no just cause for Korval to attack. They banished [[Clan Korval]] from Liad. *Korval moved to the planet [[Surebleak]]. The Department -- a hydra -- sent agents of change to the planet to wipe out the entire clan.Necessity's Child, Ghost Ship *The Department has attempted to destroy Korval's reputation as Tree-and-Dragon Trading Company, in some places successfullyAlliance of Equals *The Department has attempted to kidnap or kill [[Theo Waitley]], daughter of [[Daav yos'Phelium]], and to steal her self-aware ship [[Bechimo]]. Korval Losses to DoI *[[Chi yos'Phelium]], Korval herself Mouse & Dragon, chapter 39. The DoI commander reflects on this in the novel ''I Dare.'' I Dare *Sae Zar yos'Galan, brother to [[Er Thom yos'Galan]] *[[Petrella yos'Galan]], eventually, from radiation poisoningLocal Custom *[[Anne Davis]] (supposition, stipulate DoI manipulated Terrans) Plan B *[[Er Thom yos'Galan]] -- he died within a year of his lifemate Anne, due to heartbreak *[[Aelliana Caylon]], lifemate to Daav yos'Phelium. Supposition, since shooter was a tall Terran, and DoI doesn't employ Terrans, but they do utilize and manipulate them.Mouse & Dragon, chapter 37 List of Agents (Incomplete list) *Beldyn chel'Mara Clan Aragon *Isphet bar'Obin *Rys Lin pen'Chala -- now free, a member of [[The Bedel]] *Tyl Von sig'Alda Clan Rugare *[[Val Con yos'Phelium]] -- now free References